Apple published an updated chart on its developer Web site for the iOS App Store, which shows that iOS 7 is now on 74 percent of all iOS devices. This means adoption of the operating system has grown 10 percent since numbers last reported in October.

According to Apple's chart, 22 percent of devices are still running iOS 6 and 4 percent are using an even earlier operating system. Like previous releases, iOS 7 is not available on some older devices, which include iPhones prior to the iPhone 4, iPods before the fifth-generation iPod Touch, or the original iPad.

Of all of Apple's software releases, iOS 7 has proved to garner the fastest adoption. According to September data from analytics firm Chitika, iOS 7 nabbed more than 50 percent of Apple users in its first week. Beyond the user-facing features, each major software release has included new APIs for developers, who have to balance compatibility with older devices against including the latest software features.

Looking forward, Apple is expected to release iOS 7.1 in the near future. The company released the software in beta to registered developers last month.

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Dara Kerr is a staff writer for CNET focused on the sharing economy and tech culture. She grew up in Colorado where she developed an affinity for collecting fool's gold and spirit animals.
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